Make your own Muesli // Faites votre Muesli maison

21:04
Gaelle So
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Many have heard that saying before "breakfast is the most important meal of the day". But we do eat breakfast very differently from country to country and from one home to another.

I always kind of hated having a breakfast routine, and love to have a different breakfast almost everyday. There is (almost) always fruits, on my breakfast plate. Then other things gather around, sweet or savoury : toast with jam one day, bread and cheese another day, pancakes the next, egg and soldiers, cereals, and of course, the occasional treat with fresh croissants and pains au chocolat from the local bakery.

While some people are very easy and go for the same breakfast menu everyday, my taste for diversity turns my brain into a bubbling creative machine, very early in the morning. My first meal of the day has to be tasty and delicious, as well as nutritious and "fuelling", of course.

A good option, when I don't have the time to cook an elaborated breakfast, is cereal. But I've stopped buying cereal from the shop a while ago, and started making my own for two reasons : I know what goes inside and can then make sur it's as healthy as possible, and it's also much cheaper to make my own.

If you're keen to make your own breakfast cereal, I do advise you to go shopping in a "bulk" store. There are more and more shops selling bulk food everywhere now, from zero waste shops to organic shops, or bulk sections in mainstream supermarkets. If you can get to one of these, you'll be amazed by the diversity of ingredients available, and usually at a much cheaper price. And great plus, you get buy as little or as much as you like or need, perfect when you're making a recipe like this muesli.

What's the difference between muesli and granola?

They are basically both a breakfast "cereal mix", mostly made of oats or other grains, mixed with nuts, seeds and dried fruits. Now, muesli is just that : grains, nuts, seeds and dried fruits. Muesli is raw, uncooked. Granola usually has some kind of fat and sweetener added to it and is cooked, baked, in a way to create "clusters". Muesli is loose, while these same ingredients are usually bound together in a granola with some help from oil and a sweetener like honey or maple syrup.

The choice is yours, if you prefer a sweeter and crunchier breakfast cereal, go for granola! Here are my recipes for banana granola and homemade granola.

If you're more into soft cereal with less sugar, go for muesli! Omit the dried fruits if you try to avoid sweet stuff, and just add plenty of fresh fruits when you serve it.

I usually prepare a big batch of muesli and store it in the cupboard : it keeps for a very long time in airtight containers, like glass jars.

Why eating muesli for breakfast?

It's a very healthy and filling way to start the day. It's full of nutrients, protein and fibres, that keep you full for a long time, and give you plenty of energy for your morning activities.

It's very easy to make, and easily adapted to your preferences or diet. It is sweet enough with fresh or dried fruits, much better than those shop bought cereals that usually contain about 30% of sugar.

How to serve homemade muesli?

Soaking or not soaking?

While the original Muesli, created by the swiss Doctor Bircher-Benner, is traditionally soaked overnight (ever heard about bircher-muesli, or overnight oats?) : a mix of rolled grains (mainly oats), with often mixed with nuts and let to soak overnight with water or milk, or apple juice, then served for breakfast with yogurt, and grated apple.... there are many other ways to enjoy muesli, for breakfast or as a filling snack.

For an easy peasy breakfast, the night before, put some muesli or plain oats in a jar, top with some liquid (almond or coconut milk are great!), and leave it to soak overnight in the fridge. In the morning, just get the jar out of the fridge and eat!

You can also serve muesli as it is without going through the soaking step : just put a few spoons of it in a bowl, and top with the milk of your choice (I like almond milk or coconut milk), apple juice, with grated apple, with plenty of fresh fruits (banana, berries, kiwi, pear ... follow the seasons!), a spoonful of homemade jam, compote, yogurt, ...